New York Jets Playoff Pipe Dream – Week 11 Hail Mary Edition

You are a sick person aren’t you? Sure, you have appropriately ripped your New York Jets all week to anybody who would listen. Sure, you swear you won’t waste time watching another game. But we all know that you will. You will be glued to your TV at 1 PM this Sunday, wondering in an anxious horror if your football team can truly get any worse…or if maybe, just maybe they could have some professional pride and show signs of life.

You are even thinking way in the back of your head…hey, the Colts and Patriots are playing this week, one of them has to lose right? The Steelers are playing with Byron Leftwich at quarterback the next 4-5 games, what if they start losing because Leftwich…well is, Leftwich. Look at how easy our schedule is!

Let me be the first to tell you that you need help buddy. But let me also be the first to guide your crazy aspirations in a well-structured article.

There are three main teams you should focus on in your crazy hopes: Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and New England. The Jets are currently three games behind all of them and only hold a tie-breaker as of right now with the Colts. Yes, there are other teams between them in the standings but for the time being let’s hold on to the thought that San Diego, Cincinnati, Oakland, Miami, Tennessee and Buffalo will all finish 8-8 or worse.

In terms of catching the Colts, the Jets would have to finish 6-1 (!) and have the Colts finish 3-4. Indy finishes with the following schedule –

At New England

Vs Buffalo

At Detroit

Vs Tennessee

At Houston

At Kansas City

Vs Houston

Not that easy. Yet, keep in mind Houston could be resting starters in those two games, particularly in the week 17 game. The hope here is that Indy is a young team who hasn’t played particularly well on the road.

The Jets currently don’t have the tie-breaker with Pittsburgh but it isn’t inconceivable that they could get it. They are currently 3-4 in the AFC and Pittsburgh is 3-3. If the Jets win 6 of their last 7 (!) and Pittsburgh finishes 3-4, they’d likely have the tie-breaker. Here are the Steelers final 7 games –

Vs Baltimore

At Cleveland

At Baltimore

Vs San Diego

At Dallas

Vs Cincinnati

Vs Cleveland

This schedule really isn’t that bad on paper but with Leftwich under center who knows?

Finally, the mighty Patriots who are ready to roll to another AFC East crown. Obviously the Jets need to beat them head to head and beat Buffalo at the end of the season, along with hope New England loses another division game and then a few more conference games…basically this ain’t happening unless something screwy goes on in Foxboro. Here are their final 7 –

Vs Indy

At Jets

At Miami

Vs Houston

Vs San Francisco

At Jacksonville

Vs Miami

In the real world, you are probably looking at a 5-2 type finish for the Patriots that gets them to 11-5. It actually isn’t that crazy to think either the Steelers or Colts will finish 9-7, what is crazy is to think the Jets could win 6 of their last 7 with the way they are playing right now.